National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention

In September 2012, New Orleans was chosen through a competitive application process to join the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention (the Forum), a White House initiative to prevent youth violence. The Forum is a network of communities and federal agencies that share information and support local efforts to prevent and reduce youth violence.

The NOLA for Life Playbook: Promoting Life for All Youth

Summer 2014

Supported by the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, the NOLA FOR LIFE PLAYbook: Promoting Life for all Youth is a strategic plan for action to prevent youth violence. Nested within the existing framework of NOLA FOR LIFE, Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s comprehensive murder reduction strategy, the PLAYbook’s aim is to improve youth safety by addressing risk and protective factors for youth violence.

The Problem

Youth violence is a serious problem in New Orleans. In 2012, there were 193 murders, a rate more than ten times the national average. More than one-third of these murder victims were under the age of 25, including 17 victims who were under the age of 18.

The Solution

Addressing this issue requires a coordinated response that draws on the strengths of partners citywide. No one agency alone can solve this problem; when we unite our efforts, we amplify our impact. Therefore, the PLAYbook takes a collective impact approach to addressing youth violence. In addition, the PLAYbook emphasizes the tools of public health: a focus on prevention, data-driven strategies, collaboration, and a population-level scale for action.

The PLAYbook is the result of a strategic planning process led by the New Orleans Health Department together with a planning team of City and community representatives. To support the development of the plan, the planning team received extensive input form partners across the community. The PLAYbook presents a series of goals, objectives, and strategies that were considered to be the most important actions to prevent youth violence in New Orleans.

Vision

By 2020, 95% of youth will feel safe in their school and neighborhood.

The PLAYbook helps advance New Orleans toward that vision in three key ways: